


Intro to Film Consumption

by Lilogirl



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Canon Autistic Character, Character Study, Childhood, Family Issues, Friendship, Gen, Movie Watching, Racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26415136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilogirl/pseuds/Lilogirl
Summary: Two times a movie helped Abed, one time it didn't, and one time it brought him and a friend closer together.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 51





	Intro to Film Consumption

It’s 1992. 

Four-year-old Abed sits on the family carpet, his arms wrapped around his legs as he stares at the family TV set. 

It’s 8:20 at night. Abed can hear the sound of rain hitting the roof, and the darkness both outside and inside the house makes the TV screen, which is currently playing a VHS copy of An American Tale, shine even brighter than usual. 

Abed watches the film with wide, captivated eyes as the adventurous little mouse known as Fivel and his sister sing a tender melody, hoping that they will reunite. Abed smiles and rocks himself back and forth to the soothing tune of the music. 

Abruptly and without warning, he hears his parents snapping at each other in the kitchen. Abed had heard them faintly bickering a few minutes prior, but now their voices are starting to raise in that horrible way that only happens when they’re talking about him. 

Abed hugs his knees closer to his chest. He wishes his parents wouldn’t fight so much, or at the very least, wouldn’t fight in places where he could hear them. 

He can hear his parent’s voices getting more and more shrill, as Abed’s mother proclaims that she “knows what’s best for our son!” and Abed’s dad shoots back with words that Abed doesn't quite know the meaning of, but judging by his mom’s disgusted gasp, they must have been “grown-up words”.

Abed tries his best to focus on the TV screen. Adults can be so hard for him to understand, but movies have never been a struggle for him to wrap his brain around. 

As his parents continue to spew ugly words, Abed hums along with the melody that’s softly floating through his ears. He lets the music wrap around him like a warm blanket, comforting him amongst the shouts of his parents. He sits there, curled up in a little ball, humming to himself, eyes glued to the TV screen.

He stays that way for a long time before he’s sent to bed. 

It’s 1995

Seven-year-old Abed sits in the dark movie theater. To his left is a worried-looking grandmother who keeps trying to get her grandchildren to stop jumping in their seats, and to his right is his father.

Abed knew that his father would rather have him be at home, probably helping him make some falafel, but Abed had been extra polite the past few days, and so his father had caved in and decided to let him go to the local cinema. 

Abed had rushed into the room where they were playing Toy Story once he and his dad had been handed their tickets, and had scrambled into his seat with an excited smile. 

Currently, Abed is looking up at the film being projected onto the extra-large screen and watching as Woody and Buzz are reunited with Andy. He looks at his dad, who...actually seems to be ok with all of this. Usually, when Abed is watching a movie, his dad will roll his eyes and tell him that he wishes he would “find a more useful hobby”, but right now he seems to be content with watching this movie with his son.

Once the film ends and Abed and his father make their way to the family car, the young boy excitedly recounts his favorite moments of the film to his dad, his face rendered unusually expressive. As he matter of factly tells his dad that he’s “gonna make my own Woody costume to wear on Halloween!”, he notices that his dad has a small smile, which confuses Abed a great deal.

Maybe his dad is happy because he rarely sees his son so happy when he’s with him? 

Abed’s mind explores that idea, and even though it makes him strangely uncomfortable, he can’t help but feel a bit glad his father is feeling the same emotion as he is.

He knows that tomorrow things will go back to normal, with his dad being distant and getting frustrated about his latest meltdown. But for now, the father and son seem to be at least somewhat on the same page.

It feels nice. 

It's 2002.

14-year-old Abed is slumped over the family couch, flipping through channels, running his tongue over his new braces. After going through sports programs and cooking shows, he finds an action flick. He smiles. Finally, something up his alley.

The film seems to be a made-for-tv movie judging by the slightly low-quality special effects, but Abed doesn't care, because at least he can crack jokes to himself about the fake-looking explosions.

The movie goes along from dramatic speech to hamfisted love scene, and Abed’s actually having a pretty fun time pointing out each cliche.

Until the villain appears.

It’s only when the muscle-bound hero is negotiating in a hostage situation that Abed actually sees the villain’s face, and when he does he is shouting, screaming about how the hero lives in “a nation of infidels!” and how he will murder the men and women he has captured if its the last thing he does. 

Abed frowns. He’s tired. He’s tired of seeing this sort of villain in what seems like every action movie, the kind with a long black beard who shouts rage-filled rants about America and its citizens, the kind who beats his burka-clad wife and blows up buildings to bits like it was second nature. 

Abed can’t help but raise his hand so that it lines up with the figure on screen, and just as he figured, the color of his hand and the shade of the terrorists face match up almost completely. 

Abed turns off the TV. He knows the movie isn't over yet.

He doesn't care. 

It’s 2009

Abed and his best friend Troy are hanging out in Abed's dorm when he suggests they watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring together. At first, Troy puts on a look of reluctance because as Abed had figured out quite a while ago, he’s still trying to hide the fact that he’s a huge geek, but he still can't stifle his grin as Abed pushes the disk into the DVD player. 

As the opening narration starts, Troy and Abed both start to chat, Abed talking about how he read the book when he was eight, and Troy admitting that he could barely remember what the novel was about, despite having to do a book project on it back in 8th grade. 

As they watch Frodo embark on his epic quest, the two friends trade opinions on whether or not Gandalf is better than Dumbledore, and despite his neutral expression, he’s overjoyed that he and Troy are bonding, being brought together by a movie, something that can mean so little to others but mean so much to people like him.

As the film continues, Troy is on the edge of his seat during every battle, flinching at the sight of every monster, and tearing up when Frodo says goodbye to Bilbo.

When the movie is over, Troy just sits there for a few seconds in stunned silence, before whispering: “Abed...do you have the next one?”. He’s clearly a little embarrassed that he got so wrapped up in a “nerd” movie, but that fact doesn't make Abed any less keen to reply with an orderly yet eager “Yep!” 

Abed smiles to himself as he goes to get the next DVD. He had seen how engrossed Troy had been in the film, and it makes him so grateful that now he knows someone who cares about movies as much as he does. 

As he picks up the DVD case, he turns his head to Troy, who still has a look of wonder on his face. Abed smiles again.

He has the feeling this friendship is something special.


End file.
